Vodafone accuses Egyptian govt over text messages

Mobile operator Vodafone on Thursday accused the Egyptian authorities of using its network to send pro-government text messages to its subscribers, without clear attribution.

Vodafone said the Egyptian authorities had instructed the mobile networks of Mobinil , Etisalat and Vodafone to send messages to the people of Egypt and had been doing so since the protests broke out against the President Hosni Mubarak.

“Vodafone Group has protested to the authorities that the current situation regarding these messages is unacceptable,” it said. “We have made clear that all messages should be transparent and clearly attributable to the originator.”